Manga and anime are a very important part of Japanese culture. They have a long history in Japan and have become increasingly popular. Even now in modern Japan, manga and anime have become an important part of everyday life. Although accepted in many households, some people believe that manga and anime are a bad influence for people who enjoy reading and watching them. However, manga and anime offer the Japanese people a huge amount of stories to explore and enjoy, and a wide range of genres to choose from, making it such a popular hobby. To begin with, the origin of manga dates back to the ancient times of Japan. history. In the first chapter of the book Understanding Manga and Anime, it is said that the origin of manga probably goes back further in the history of Western comics and graphic novels (Brenner 1). This means that the manga is even older than all the superhero comics like Marvel. While no one is sure when manga first appeared, many credit Japanese Buddhist monks who lived during the 20th century. They drew illustrations on scrolls of funny-looking animals that dressed up and played the roles of scholars and monks. Additionally, the scrolling images were drawn from right to left, just like modern manga. The term “manga” was actually coined by the artist Hokusai Katsuhika around 1815 (3). Anime was created much later in Japan's history. In fact, anime began to appear around the 19th century, when animated images exploded across the world (Macwilliams 49). So, even though manga had been around for centuries, anime was only a recent development from Japanese cartoons. Anime began much like Disney films, in that the first anime were shown in small theaters as short films, then over time they grew into whole... middle of paper... they are a huge part of the Japanese culture. Manga has a deep history in Japan and has become an everyday thing in that part of the world. Even now, manga and anime seem to be expanding to other countries around the world. Although many people disagree with people, and especially children, reading and watching Japanese cartoons and comics, they are still part of Japanese culture and may even become an important part of other countries around the world. One day, Western culture may even learn to fully embrace this vast and growing hobby. Word Cited Brenner, Robin E. Understanding Manga and Anime. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2007. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Network. December 12, 2013.Macwilliams, Mark Wheeler. Japanese Visual Culture: Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2008. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Network. December 12. 2013.